Superfan Nav Bhatia of the Toronto Raptors is interviewed by Lulu Garcia-Navarro of NPR. Since the Toronto Raptors were established in 1995, he has never missed a game.
A former auto salesman has been admitted into the esteemed Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with Kobe Bryant. Since the Toronto Raptors were established in 1995, Nav Bhatia has never missed a game. He is the first superfan to be granted entry into the esteemed organization. We have to admit that his tale is quite remarkable. And now he comes from Toronto to join us. Greetings and welcome to the program.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Best wishes. Your narrative has gained widespread attention. Everyone is eager to speak with you. I would like to know, though, how you celebrated receiving this important distinction.
BHATIA: Well, I don’t have time for festivities at the moment. I think no fan could ever dream this, so first I have to accept that this is actually happening to me. Over the past few years, as a fan, I’ve had the opportunity to serve as grand marshal of the largest procession in sports history, which culminated in a celebration. Two and a half million individuals on the street made up the nine million viewers of that. Then, on October 22, 2019, I received the players’ ring—the same ring that Kawhi, Lowry, and Ibaka all received. I understand that. And now, the shocking part—being inducted into the Hall of Fame
GARCIA-NAVARRO: It is crucial to note that although you won’t be seen to the public, you are decked out in full Raptors uniform, with images of significant moments from the team’s past games projected behind you. You truly are a fan, you know that. I’d like to discuss your story with you because it’s so intriguing. You received your degree from Cal State University in Los Angeles with a degree in mechanical engineering. And you went back to India. However, after that, there were anti-Sikh riots, correct? You then departed for Canada. And the only job you could find was as a car salesperson. Return me to that moment.
BHATIA: As you may know, the year 1984 was the worst for Sikhs. We were being slaughtered. In New Delhi, if you had a beard and a turban, you were being killed by having flaming tires placed on your head. Thus, it was at that point that our family decided to leave India. Along with my spouse, I arrived in Toronto first. And that’s how my adventure began. For $340, I rented out a basement. However, the reason I was the happiest guy was that we were in the world’s safest nation.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: So you looked for all of these positions? One day, you’re given an opportunity. In your first ninety days of employment, you sold 127 automobiles. That’s remarkable, really. You’ve kind of nailed it.
BHATIA: So, what’s the deal? I had a lot of interviews, so it was difficult. At that time, I was without an automobile. I would therefore typically depart in the morning and return in the late evening. A man with a brown beard and turban was not someone anyone wanted to hire. However, what’s the deal? I persisted. In order to sustain myself, I used to work hard jobs like janitorial and gardening and painting. You know, at last, I was given an interview to work as a vehicle salesperson. And there was another speed bump for me. On my first day, when I walked inside the building, I had nine or ten white salespeople standing there making fun of me.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: And you achieved extraordinary achievement. And since the Toronto Raptors were founded in 1995, I’d want to return the discussion to basketball. Additionally, you purchased season tickets. What was it about the team that made you feel so deeply for them?
BHATIA: I simply worked for a hundred hours a week, sometimes even more. I built a magnificent 3,000 square foot house with a double car garage by 1995. I owned two vehicles. I felt at ease. However, I lacked a hobby. I was uninteresting. I therefore made the decision to give the sports I used to watch on television a go when the Raptors arrived. Thus, at that time, I purchased two tickets. With an extremely open mind, I went there. You know, I fell in love with this game on November 3, 1995. The world’s quickest game is this one. The world’s most enjoyable game is this one. You simply lose all sense of reality for two and a half hours. You
GARCIA-NAVARRO: You promised your mother that you wouldn’t take off your turban at any point. It’s in the Hall of Fame now as well.
BHATIA: In agreement. Indeed. Her mother was really strict. She needed to manage her four sons. However, when she was sixteen, she phoned me and asked for three promises from me. She warns against drinking, smoking, cutting one’s hair, and taking off one’s turban. And I gave her a yes. Thank God for my mother in heaven, 53 years later, I haven’t broken a single pledge. And I started crying while I was wearing my turban at the superfan gallery. And from this point on, Turban will always be in the superfan gallery.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: That’s Nav Bhatia, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and ardent Toronto Raptors supporter. Many thanks for it.
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